Dove and Dragon
by Umei no Mai
Summary: So, what might have happened had the hitokiri Battousai lived in a world a little more in tune with the supernatural? What kind of attention might a student of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu attract? Oneshot, spoilers for backstory.


****This is what happens when you let yourself wonder what might have happened in Kenshin had had somebody else in his life before he met Kaoru, as I personally feel she wasn't quite right for him. A bit too young and idealistic to really understand and empathise with someone who feels responsible for such bloodshed. She certainly did not help him come to terms with himself and repression is bad for you.

Hence, wild, weird one-shot. Let me know what you think.

* * *

**Dove and Dragon **

…

**Company**

When the boy who would later be known and feared as the hitokiri Battousai was seven years old, he lost both parents and his elder brother to cholera. Shinta remembered little of that time in later years, having been himself experiencing terrible pain due to suffering the same illness to the point of nearly dying. All that he knew was that he had felt unwell one evening, then woken up two weeks later completely orphaned, dizzyingly weak and utterly lacking in visible means of support.

However, Shinta remembered things that did not make sense from that period of sickness. A gentle contralto voice humming an eerie lullaby to soothe him into slumber, cool hands on his forehead and keeping him clean as he whimpered and ached and the faint yet ever-present rustling of feathers.

After awaking, the rustling did not go away, despite Shinta being unable to find its source. His poverty-stricken village had neither pigeons nor chickens –or indeed any other kind of domestic bird– so where on earth was it coming from?

Other than _right __behind him?_

And how was it nobody else could hear it?

**Familiarity**

When Shinta was sold into slavery not long after, the invisible bird-person followed him. He had by then grown so accustomed enough to the faint noises that he no longer twitched and jerked as if possessed by angry ghosts, which was a relief as he did not want to be exorcised.

When the caravan was attacked by bandits the bird-person spread faint, shadowy wings over him from behind, hiding him from the sight of the armed men and protecting him from the slaughter. They retreated only as another man charged into the fray, killing all those bandits still standing. The man had grudgingly directed him to the nearest village then vanished, only reappearing a few days later, after Shinta had buried most of the bodies.

His ethereal bird-shadow had helped with the digging of holes and dragging of bodies, wings reforming into arms and reaching around him to lessen the strain on his small form; Shinta had noticed that the whatever-it-was was much more present than before and vaguely wondered if that something to do with the deaths. After all, it had showed up when his family died. He didn't think it was involved in the killing, as it had nursed and protected him, but it might be drawing energy from the deaths. He'd heard older children telling stories about youkai and yuurei that could do that.

When the strange, slightly frightening man had returned, given him a new name and carted him off as an apprentice through sheer force of personality the bird-shadow had not objected in the slightest, following behind him perfectly contentedly. Given the contrast to the rather aggressive fluttering that had accompanied the long, slow journey with the slavers, the newly named Kenshin decided this was as close to confirmation that the odd man meant him no harm as he was likely to get and did not try to run away.

Later, once training had started, he had reason to regret his naïveté many, many times over.

Contempt

Kenshin spent six years with Hiko Seijuurou, in which time he learnt most of the forms of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu and to utterly detest his shishou. The man hated people, hated teaching and was an unrepentant sadist. The man also dropped one or two oblique comments which insinuated he was aware of something not quite natural hanging around his 'baka deshi', but never pushed the issue. As for Kenshin, he was by now so accustomed to the feathered shadow that followed at his heels and mimicked his movements whenever he worked or fought –which was most of the time– that it no longer registered. True, his lessons in ki and the subsequent extension of his senses had given him a new awareness of his stalker, but as the being was totally non-hostile and barely present at all Kenshin generally ignored it. It certainly never interfered in the beatings his shishou gave him in the manner it had to protect him from the bandits, even when those beatings nearly killed him.

It may have actively aided in nursing him back to health afterwards, but Kenshin couldn't conclusively prove it.

When Kenshin eventually abandoned his shishou and set out to follow his ideals, a path which lead him to the Choushuu Ishin Shishi and Katsura Kogoro in particular, his feathered shadow followed him.

**Comfort**

As Himura Battousai, hitokiri, Kenshin very quickly discovered that his shadow did indeed grow more substantial when surrounded by death, especially when it was Kenshin doing the killing. It never defended him from any blow he could avoid or deflect by himself, nor did it appear to be visible to anyone else, but he had been saved from the indignity of being brained by a falling roof tile while walking across Kyoto late one night by a flex of shadowed wing and it made hiding in shadows child's play, wrapping around him and muffling his footsteps to the point that even omnitsu had severe difficulty keeping track of him. This seeming invincibility greatly added to the legend of the hitokiri Battousai, particularly within Ishin Shishi itself.

Kenshin however was more grateful for the ghostly arms that sometimes cradled him at night to ward off nightmares and the comforting feeling of someone there to lean against as he washed his hands after a particularly messy mission. A year into serving with the Ishin Shishi his shadow was solid enough to be conclusively identified as female and about four inches taller than he was with feathery hair and arms that could also be wings if she so chose. He had never spoken to her outright, not even in thanks, but in his own mind he referred to her as Hato –dove– as it fit her as well as any name might. He had also developed a possibly dangerous habit of talking out loud 'to himself' when he was alone in his rooms; under his breath, but still. She never answered aloud, but had no difficulty communicating her agreement or displeasure in other ways.

He was however unspeakably grateful to her as her silent yet unwavering support was most of what kept him from going mad as the scent and taste of blood gradually contaminated everything around him. He even refrained from cutting his hair in order to have an excuse to enjoy the feeling of having it brushed for him while he pretended to sleep and Hato pretended she didn't know he was awake.

Hato was, in fact, the only person who was allowed to ever touch his hair without deadly retaliation: she even washed it for him. She was his rock and he could not imagine life without her.

**Infatuation**

Meeting Yukishiro Tomoe was like a bolt of lightning out of the blue for Kenshin, but Hato was only a little wary of her, no more than she was of Iizuka-san, so the teenage hitokiri did not make a serious effort to object to her abrupt assimilation into his life. Tomoe brought light, colour and confusion to an existence which had up until now been rather lacking in joy and he sensed that Hato rather liked the change in him. After a short while he even began to enjoy Tomoe's company for its own sake despite the whispers of treachery and betrayal within the Ishin Shishi. Kenshin was not overly worried for himself; Hato had always defended him from dangerous attacks he could not protect himself from and he was confident in his own skill. The hitokiri was however concerned for Katsura-san and Tomoe: the former was the man he served and the latter...

He wasn't quite sure why he cared, but he did. He didn't want Tomoe hurt. Maybe he was going mad, but he didn't think so; Hato's reactions suggested what he was going through was innocuous enough to be considered both normal and entertaining.

**Passion**

Even looking back on things afterwards, Kenshin was never entirely sure how Hato had felt about him marrying Tomoe. She had not disagreed or even expressed dislike but there had been definite ambivalence. At the time Kenshin had thought it something to do with the situation; being ordered to hide out in the countryside for months on end due to someone leaking Ishin Shishi secrets to the Bakumatsu was a definite cause for concern after all, especially after the reversal they had suffered. He had also dismissed it, which retrospectively had definitely had more to do with being completely in love with Tomoe than being a valid tactical decision. He hadn't wanted to consider the implications.

Not that Hato had distanced herself after his marriage; she had remained ever present, dogging his every step with such utter discretion as to render the most talented omnitsu green with envy. Tomoe was blithely unaware of her presence and Kenshin never mentioned his feathered shadow. Indeed, disclosing her existence never even crossed his mind. He had never spoken of Hato to his shishou or even Katsura-san, so why would he mention her to anyone else?

He missed her little attentions, as Hato could no longer supply him with treats scavenged who-knew-where or brush his hair as he lay in bed in the tiny home he shared with his wife. Kenshin instead learnt to savour a different kind of contact, faint brushes of feathers against his face to draw his attention to the sight of dawn sunshine on water or of children playing. Sharing the small joys he had hitherto missed out on was more than enough.

**Loss**

Tomoe's death changed everything.

Hato had reassured him when Tomoe confessed her treachery and watched his back as he entered the forest of barriers to rescue his wife, helping him brush off assaults that would have seriously injured him had they connected properly. The further into the forest Kenshin went, the less aware he became of his ever-present shadow: with his ki-sense dulled, his hearing damaged, his eyesight swimming and the cold combined with many wounds sapping his strength, the redhead found himself leaning heavily on Hato just to move forwards. She never once betrayed that trust, guiding his steps and supporting his body until he stood before the mastermind of the deadly scheme.

In that last fight Hato did her best to cushion the blows Kenshin's opponent managed to land, but the furious hitokiri was well aware that his shadow was operating on the very limits of her ability: she was gifted in stealth and redirection, not force, and parrying such brutal blows on his behalf was taking a lot out of her. So he took steps to end it all as quickly as possible.

But Tomoe stepped in and slew his enemy just as his attack was about to connect, so Kenshin sword slew her instead.

Kenshin did not remember very much of what happened between Tomoe's final breath in his arms and waking up the next day back in the little house they had shared for half a year. He remembered the scent of blood, ash and feathers, a quiet contralto voice murmuring a prayer for the dying and a strong, familiar arm pulling him to his feet and guiding his steps as violent grief tore his heart asunder. Kenshin would have protested that departure, except that he could still smell white plums and could feel that his saviour had his wife's body slung over her other shoulder.

Once back at the house, he remembered watching as if from a great distance as a woman dressed is pale grey washed and dressed Tomoe's body, then being washed himself by cool, safe hands connected to a familiar energy signature that was _not _ki, no matter how much it resembled it. That was what allowed him to drift away from the hands sealing his wounds and running through his hair: Hato had him, so he was safe. Even if he died, he would always be safe with Hato.

**Death**

When he woke up again, clean, bandaged and dressed in a new set of clothes, it swiftly became apparent how much Tomoe's death had changed things. Hato was no longer an insubstantial shadow for one, nor was she limited to working from behind him. Looking across at the woman kneeling beside his futon and watching him with gentle, ancient eyes, Kenshin found himself wondering how he had attracted the devotion of such a being in the first place.

Hato was lovely as a winter landscape; pale skinned with hair and eyes the colour of shadows. She wore a white kimono decorated with feathers in a dozen shades of grey, belted with an obi in soft pink and green. Her tabi were dark grey and she wore around her a shawl in shifting shades of shadow. Just looking at her Kenshin received the impression of great compassion, deep understanding and of Death. Hato was Shinigami. He did not need to ask; the human mind, however limited, instinctively recognises such things.

"Tomoe wanted you to live," Hato said, so quietly Kenshin could only just hear her words. "She died happy in the certainty that you would go on and be happy once more, in time. She killed for you; do not permit your grief to make little of her achievement."

"I killed her," Kenshin croaked, "I..."

"She forgave you for it," Hato responded serenely. "She felt guilt for betraying you, so killed your opponent as atonement. Acknowledge her gift and move forward to honour it."

Kenshin wasn't sure he'd ever get past the tearing emptiness that burned in his heart, but accepted that Hato spoke the truth. She was Shinigami after all, so Tomoe had probably told her.

"How is it you are..." he waved a hand at her, attempting to find a word to cover everything from her physical presence to her distance away from him. It felt strangely lonely to be even a few feet from her.

"Tomoe loved you and you loved her," Hato said simply. "When she died, she did so for you. Unconditionally. She wanted you to live and be safe. Such things have great weight. I am now more present in this world than I have ever been before," she sighed, "yet I wish it were not so. A great gift, at an even greater price."

The hitokiri bowed his head, unable to stop the tears leaking out under his lashes. Then Hato embraced him and he couldn't help but cry. Tomoe was gone, but in the end it was she that had rescued him.

**Return**

Reading Tomoe's diary was horribly painful, yet explained so much. After that initial bedside encounter Hato spoke very little, yet she went out of her way to care for Kenshin. For two weeks she fed him, washed him, comforted him and reminded him in dozens of little ways that he was not alone. Then Katsura-san arrived on his doorstep with a new mission: to be a skirmisher for the Ishin Shishi against the Shinsengumi.

"Hato-dono?" Kenshin asked, not caring that his master was completely unaware of the Shinigami kneeling between them.

"Wherever you go, Himura Kenshin Battousai, I will be right behind you," Hato murmured as Katsura-san's face took on a slightly disturbed expression; it must be very disturbing to see the man you are relying on to keep your forces alive address the empty air, Kenshin realised belatedly. It was suddenly clear that, even though Hato now had a physical presence, most people still were unaware of her.

"Apologies, Katsura-san. It has been very lonely here." Kenshin murmured.

He did agree to go back to Kyoto though, on the condition that, once the war was over, he would throw away his sword and never kill again.

**Amicable**

Hato was largely indifferent to people who were not Kenshin, with a few notable exceptions. She had shown a curious fondness for Kenshin's shishou, for example, which the young redhead had resented a little. The man had little or nothing to recommend him on a personal level, so why did she like him?

Finding out she was Shinigami explained quite a lot in that sense. Hiko Seijuurou had killed a lot of people in his lifetime but never allowed it to taint the way he viewed the world.

The second person Hato anticipated with an exited bounce in her step was Saitou Hajime, which Kenshin found disturbing in ways he didn't want to contemplate. That sudden thrill of presence made him very wary of the fierce Shinsengumi captain and Kenshin never gave less than his very best in those fights. If Shishou and Saitou-san could be considered a trend, then people Hato liked meeting would likely continue to be very dangerous for his health.

**Domesticity**

Three years of skirmishes on the streets of Kyoto taught Kenshin a lot, but watching Hato taught him considerably more. The most important lesson was that people can ignore a surprising amount of things if it fits into how they view the world. For example, young women cooking and cleaning was normal and beneath notice, so not one of the Ishin Shishi noticed that a woman they didn't know was occasionally helping with the laundry and meals. Kenshin was initially alarmed and later bemused by this peculiar hobby his Shinigami shadow indulged in, but never commented one way or the other except to praise her efforts. He also took mental notes; such skills were vital after all if he ever intended to leave the Ishin Shishi. The new hakama and haori she made for him were equally welcome, though he had to violently discourage the attempts of the other Ishin Shishi members to discover if he had a new sweetheart.

Kenshin's new habit of occasionally speaking aloud to empty air helped keep people away from him. Many of the Ishin Shishi help him in superstitious awe and greatly feared him, so it wasn't as hard as it could have been to avoid them. Hato might wander a little during the day, but she never left his side at night as he hunted in the city. Stories of the 'Demon of Kyoto' abounded, as did whispers that the redhead with the cross-shaped scar walked unmolested because Death walked behind him. Hato just shrugged at those rumours, giving Kenshin the impression that some people were more naturally sensitive to such things than others. The elderly miko at the shrine he had visited once had most certainly known both who he was and the nature of his companion, and had been greatly relieved when they left.

Then, after the battle at Toba Fushimi, the war was declared over and Kenshin left the Ishin Shishi. He would have left his swords on the battlefield but Hato wouldn't let him, taking them herself and hiding them somewhere. Changing into the red haori the Shinigami had made for him and fastening the sakabatou Arai Shakku had given him to his sash, Himura Kenshin set aside the hitokiri and the title Battousai and embraced the rurouni, swearing never to kill again.

He also knew Hato was wary of that vow, however deeply she respected it and recognised its importance to him. As a Shinigami she was one with the world and death was indeed a natural part of living, but Kenshin had brought too many lives to a premature end during the Bakumatsu to ever be comfortable with killing again.

**Clarity**

Looking back on the occasion, Kenshin always felt like a fool. He and Hato had been wandering for eight years, drifting from village to town to distant farm, living off the land and just getting by. It had been a late evening in early spring and they had been caught in a rain storm. As neither was really dressed for it, they were both sodden. Kenshin wasn't really worried for Hato –she was impervious to human illness after all– but walking for hours in the rain is uncomfortable for anyone. They had however been fortunate enough to come across an ryokan and Kenshin had knocked on the door in the hope the owner would let them stay under cover for the night.

Well, let him stay under cover for the night. Most people failed to notice Hato. She said that a person had to truly recognise and accept death to be able to see her.

The door had slid open and a woman had looked out, then dragged Hato inside whilst berating Kenshin for dragging his lady wife across the countryside in such dreadful weather. Kenshin had for an instant looked around stupidly for Tomoe before his brain caught up with his ears and stumbled inside after them, completely embarrassed by the misunderstanding. The redhead allowed himself to be manhandled through the onsen and into a dry yukata by the staff as he tried to recover his scattered thoughts.

Clearly the wife of the owner of this establishment could see Hato, and as there was a vague bleed-over effect with such things, that meant everyone who worked here would be aware of her. Therefore, instead of a solitary vagabond rurouni the mistress of the house had seen a rather ragged swordsman accompanied by a modestly yet impeccably dressed lady whose poise showed excellent breeding and considerable training from an early age. No wonder he was in trouble.

Over the dinner their host was quick to provide Kenshin sat quietly as the owner's wife grilled Hato mercilessly over her circumstances and situation. The Shinigami acquitted herself admirably in the face of the onslaught, responding to questions softly and politely while deflecting potentially dangerous lines of inquiry. Her answers however told him more about her than he had ever considered asking and made him both ashamed and rather nervous.

It turned out her real name was Takehaya Kaiyouhime and she said she was the youngest daughter of a samurai of means, which Kenshin mentally translated to mean _major deity_. When asked why her 'husband' called her Hato she had blushed and fluttered until their hostess took pity on her and stated that a husband may call his wife whatever he chooses to and complemented her on finding such a sweet young man. Of course, the complement was followed by a pointed inquiry into why a young lady of such elevated birth was wandering across the countryside with a scruffy rurouni. Hato –he couldn't think of her as Kaiyouhime– had sighed and woven a tale of a wealthy family that had suffered during the war to the point of being unable to support the minor samurai families dependent upon it. This was not really all that unusual, so had not been questioned. She had then gone on to explain that her father had offered her in marriage to his most faithful vassal as a reward for his services, both as a show of how exceptional Kenshin was in spite of his now masterless state and how greatly he had been valued, considering his master had trusted him with his own daughter. She added that she didn't mind wandering, really, and that she was adequately provided for. The owner's wife lapped up the story without question, cooed over Hato and provided them with a room free of charge and a promise of clean clothing and supplies in the morning.

Once they were alone Kenshin turned to look at his Shinigami shadow, who he now realised he had taken advantage of quite unthinkingly for far too long.

"I think we should introduce ourselves properly, that I do," he said softly, kneeling on the tatami. "And I apologise abjectly for my past rudeness in failing to do so. I am Himura Shinta Kenshin called Battousai, former hitokiri in service to Katsura Kogoro I was born to Takemi, wife of Mushi, a rice farmer and was the youngest of four children, who are all now dead, deshi to Hiko Seijuurou, shishou of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu, widower to Himura Yukishiro Tomoe, that I am. How might I address you?"

Hato smiled a little wryly. "I am Takehaya Kaiyouhime Hato, fifth daughter of Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto, ruler of Yomi and his wife Kushinada-hime. I am Shinigami, who greets the newly dead and sends them on to their next life, ruler of shadows and water, bound by contract to Himura Shinta Kenshin the Battousai from the seventh year of his life."

Kenshin suddenly felt very lightheaded. "How has your honoured father kept his temper and not killed me yet, Hato-dono?" he croaked. "For I surely deserve death, that I do."

Hato shook her head. "You did not know."

"I should have asked, that I should," Kenshin countered. "You have stood at my side all my life; I should have known there was more to your presence, that I should." He suddenly felt very bad indeed about marrying Tomoe. Yes he had loved her to distraction, but Hato had been there first and he had loved Hato first. He had always loved Hato, to be honest. He simply had not considered the possibility of marrying her.

"Perhaps," Hato conceded, "but that is all in the past now; I did not tell you why I remained by your side. All that matters is what you do next." She smiled a little sadly. "Take your time."

Kenshin was perhaps not very perceptive in matters of the heart but he knew Hato better than he knew anyone –possibly even himself– and knew that here and now hesitation would be fatal, probably to him. "Hato-dono, would you forgive this foolish rurouni his thick-headedness and do this one the honour of being your husband?"

The tears made him fear he'd made a mistake but the beautiful smile and sudden embrace reassured him that this time at least he had managed to avoid disaster.

**Family**

After proposing Kenshin wasted no time in finding a shrine to register the marriage in, though he would happily have done without the ordeal of meeting his wife's father. Thinking back however he understood far better why Hato had liked being around his shishou and Saitou Hajime; both men had much in common with the feared ruler of Yomi. His new mother-in-law had rescued him from her husband's clutches and given him some helpful tips on being the mostly-human spouse to a deity. Kushinada-hime also firmly impressed upon him that mostly-human, while not the same as purely-human, was in no way a thing to reject or disavow. It was simply a little different, largely cultural but partly of the body as well as of the soul. Kenshin internalised the lecture without a word and vowed to never reject his wife –even by accident– and do his best for her no matter what. He had promised to marry her, wanted to marry her and fully intended to never spend a single day without her beside him.

It had been a bit of a shock to discover that his mother's bloodline was descended from Kuraokami, dragon of storms, but it was also a relief; he had often feared his red hair was an indication of Oni blood but now it was conclusively proven otherwise. His agility in the air and skill in Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu was also partly explained. Kushinada-hime explained that he should have died with his family, but his spirit had been strong enough to overcome the limits of his body, which ensured his survival. It also awakened what little remained of his divine heritage, which was more dragon than true kami. Which was why, the unflappable lady said matter-of-factly, her daughter had been spiking his food with her own blood after he ceased killing. He _needed_ blood to live now, and blood freely given held more power than the blood of one's enemies. He would need more if mortally wounded, but as long as he did not starve himself he would always heal.

That bombshell shook Kenshin badly, but on gathering his wits he acknowledged and accepted that he could no more give up blood than a cat could survive without meat and fish. His death would greatly distress Hato-hime, so he would not die. Hato-hime in turn _could not_ die, which he was selfishly grateful for.

**Change**

Two years into his marriage with Hato Kenshin started to consider the merits of settling down. True, he had no real skills other than with his sword, but he knew enough of medicine to make a modest living and had over the past decade acquired enough skills to prosper in half-a-dozen different trades. Hato herself knew how to keep house on a variety of budgets, make clothing and a number of lesser trades to keep herself in spending money. Her heritage also guaranteed that, if nothing else, she could bless the dying and preside over a variety of ceremonies: the priest at the Izumo Shrine had helpfully marked her down as a former miko in order to give her a valid history and proper records.

Hearing rumours that the infamous hitokiri Battousai was terrorizing Tokyo however put those plans on hold: whoever was making use of his name needed to be investigated. So Kenshin set out towards Tokyo, Hato beside him as had become habit.

However one evening shortly after arriving in Tokyo Kenshin was accosted by a terribly earnest young woman with a shinai who accused him of being the hitokiri Battousai and declaring she would bring him to justice. Not wanting to hurt the girl Kenshin played the fool, revealed that his sword was a sakabatou and was about to continue in his search when a disturbance had the girl running towards it. Kenshin followed, Hato right behind him as they fell back into the combat routine that had stood them in good stead for twenty years.

It turned out the would-be Battousai was at the centre of the disturbance, a giant of a man wearing a hood and attacking police officers with a distressing lack of care or skill. The part of Kenshin that saw killing as an integral part of living –Battousai– was offended by the clumsy buffoon impersonating him, but the rurouni was more concerned with the fate of the girl. With the fearlessness of one who has never faced a man with a sword in a real fight she had charged into the fray with her shinai and been wounded. Kenshin therefore concentrated on rescuing her from the imposter and took the opportunity to get the ignorant giant to underestimate him. Of course, after the man ran off proclaiming he was 'Himura Battousai of the Kamiya Kasshin-ryuu, called hitokiri Battousai' Kenshin had to stop the girl from running after him. She really didn't have the sense the kami gave kittens.

Or perhaps she did and that was the problem. Terribly persistent creatures, kittens. And violent, he amended when she hit him over the head with her shinai. She was fortunate he was not like his shishou: Hiko Seijuurou would have not been amused at her disrespect of a fellow practitioner. Her frustrated outburst did explain a little better why a lone girl with a shinai was chasing after a supposed hitokiri in the middle of the night though: the school the imposter was claiming was her own. At Hato's sigh he decided that it would be best to escort the girl home, so she didn't get herself into trouble.

A few days later he encountered her again, this time while being victimised by the local armed police and trying not to laugh at Hato's pungent assessment of their overconfidence and utter uselessness. Kamiya Kaoru, as the girl was called, intervened on his behalf and got into a shouting match with the officer in charge until the man who had helped her patch herself up the night of her injury slipped some money into the policeman's hand. His ego flattered and palm greased, the officer called the men off. Kenshin learnt then that the man was her housekeeper, had arrived at the dojo shortly after her father's death and been taken in by the kindly girl, who really did have all the good sense of a kitten. She proved to be a perceptive soul nonetheless, pointing out quite sensibly that everyone had things in their past they preferred not to mention. She then thanked him for saving her life, which he politely made little of after teasing her slightly. He was more interested in following the lead the girl had mentioned, of an unusually tall swordsman arriving at the abandoned Kiheikan dojo in the next town over. Men over six feet tall were rare and he was likely the imposter.

Kenshin disliked people who smeared his name more than it had already been stained; Hato however was far more… _vehement_ in expressing her feelings on the subject.

On arriving back at the Kamiya dojo after incapacitating all the thugs at Kiheikan and arriving just in time to rescue the young owner from the designs of her housekeeper and his brother the giant swordsman, whose name was actually Hiruma Gohei. Hato was most unimpressed by the bullying of greedy thugs and Kenshin allowed himself to let loose a little: terrorising people fed his 'dragon' –as Hato called his more primal inner nature– just as well as bloodshed and was much safer overall. However after revealing himself as Himura Battousai, user of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu, embedding the giant in the floor of the dojo and making the treacherous housekeeper piss himself and faint with fear, the fiery assistant instructor all but ordered him to stay and help her clean up the mess. She then showed a blithe disregard for his infamy which he found rather endearing, then caught up with herself and blushed horribly. Fortunately Hato seemed more amused than irritated by her budding crush and assured Kenshin that she didn't blame him at all.

Then Kamiya Kaoru asked him his name. Kenshin considered not answering but, as Hato quietly pointed out, they had been thinking of stopping somewhere for a while and this was as good a place as any. Better than most even, as their young host was able to overlook their bloody past. So Kenshin introduced himself properly and asked if she might be willing to put him up for a while. Then he remembered the most important bit:

"Oro, Kaoru-dono? I trust my wife would be welcome here also?"

The look on the poor girl's face was somewhere between shock, horror and embarrassment. Kenshin could not understand why people had such difficulty believing he was married.

* * *

A plot-bunny made me do it!


End file.
